When seconds count, CRNAs are there

National CRNA Week kicked off Jan. 21 as a way to remind patients, families, medical professionals and others: “Every Breath. Every Beat. Every Second. WE ARE THERE!”

As usual, PANA is taking it a step further, stretching National CRNA Week into a month-long campaign to introduce Pennsylvanians to the highly skilled professionals behind the mask --- the men and women who are by their side during surgical procedures, from open-heart surgery to routine outpatient procedures.

CRNAs are the face of anesthesia care in Pennsylvania. There are more than 3,000 CRNAs and CRNAs-in-training in the commonwealth, providing hands-on anesthesia care in every setting: hospital operating and delivery rooms; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons; and pain management centers.

It’s time to take off that mask and help our patients know who we are and what we do. The role of a CRNA requires intensive training and education and nurse anesthesia is a high-responsibility career. CRNAs provide anesthesia care for millions of patients each year. Nurse Anesthetists are most frequently the first responders to intraoperative emergencies, acting quickly with expert knowledge and skill in the care of our patients.

The average nurse anesthetist completes 9,000 clinical hours of training when you combine the clinical ICU experience as a RN required to enter CRNA training, the clinical experience obtained in an undergraduate nursing curriculum and the clinical anesthesia training in a nurse anesthetist program. That’s impressive. Our high level of education and clinical experience contributes to our capable, vigilant care of each patient.

CRNAs are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America, enabling health-care facilities in these medically underserved areas to offer obstetrical, surgical, pain management and trauma stabilization services. We’re battle tested, too, serving as the main providers of anesthesia care to U.S. military personnel on the front lines since World War I. CRNAs remain the primary anesthesia providers in austere combat theaters.

CRNAs are proud of their safety record and career. And that’s why this month, we are encouraging patients, families, medical professionals and others to learn more about the professionals behind the mask and appreciate the work we do. Because when it matters, nurse anesthetists are by your side for every breath, every heartbeat, every second. WE ARE THERE!

Jodie Szlachta, CRNA, Ph.D., is the President of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA).

Share your #CRNAinPA selfie!

You can spread awareness about your profession by posting a simple picture and statement about what you do and why you like being a CRNA.

Print out one of the images below and post a selfie to Facebook or Twitter using #CRNAinPA! You can also tag PANA on Facebook or Twitter (@PANACRNA).

We're looking forward to seeing your posts and sharing some of them on the PANA pages!

For a printable pdf of this image, click here.

For a printable pdf of this image

If you're listening to NPR, you're hearing about CRNAs

Starting Oct. 1, listeners of public radio stations across Pennsylvania won’t just be getting caught up on the news, they’ll also be learning more about the work done by the state’s certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs).

As part of our continuing efforts to ensure residents understand the role and value of CRNAs in delivering anesthesia care in today’s health-care system, the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) is working with several National Public Radio (NPR) affiliates across the state to help spread the word.

So if you live in the state’s largest metropolitan markets, like Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Philadelphia or Scranton/Wilkes/Barre, be sure to tune in.

A total of 340 spots will run throughout the month and into early November on WESA 90.5 FM in Pittsburgh, WITF 89.5 FM in Harrisburg, WHYY 90.9 FM in Philadelphia and WVIA 89.9 FM in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

This is a great time to be on the air on NPR. More listeners than ever will be tuning in for news about the General Election and updates on the presidential battle.

The buy also times perfectly with PANA’s Fall Symposium, which is being held Oct. 21-23 at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa. If you haven’t registered already, please visit www.PANA.org and click on “SYMPOSIA/EVENTS” to sign up.

We’ll go over the NPR project, which builds on previously successful information campaigns and advertising projects, in greater detail at the symposium.

The work you do is invaluable. At PANA, we’re doing all we can to ensure you get the recognition you deserve for providing the highest quality of care in Pennsylvania.

So the next time you hear that famous tag line, “You’re listening to NPR,” listen for news about your profession, too. And thanks for tuning in!

Matt McCoy is the Chairman of PANA's Communications Committee.